Northern Zhejiang

Northern Zhejiang means Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou, with West Lake, Qiandao Lake, the water towns of Wuzhen and Xitang, Nanxun, and Moganshan guesthouses, the essence of Jiangnan's water towns and lake-and-mountain scenery.

Northern Zhejiang follows Zhejiang's common directional division, the Hang–Jia–Hu area, covering three cities: Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou. Note that Qiandao Lake (Chun'an) and Tonglu are often called "western Zhejiang," but administratively they belong to Hangzhou and are therefore included in Northern Zhejiang along with it; Changxing belongs to Huzhou. Highlights: Hangzhou's West Lake is a World Cultural Heritage site, and Su Causeway, Bai Causeway, Lingyin Temple, Leifeng Pagoda, the Longjing tea plantations and Xixi Wetland make up the city's core scenery; the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins in Yuhang reveal a civilization from five thousand years ago. Qiandao Lake in Chun'an is known for the many islands scattered across the lake, and Tonglu's Fuchun River, Yaolin Wonderland and Yan Ziling's Fishing Terrace show off poetic landscapes. Jiaxing has the Red Boat at South Lake, while Wuzhen in Tongxiang and Xitang in Jiashan are the best-known Jiangnan ancient towns. Huzhou has Nanxun Ancient Town; Moganshan in Deqing is known for old villas and boutique guesthouses, Anji's bamboo sea and white tea gardens suit countryside getaways, and Changxing is known for Taihu Lake scenery and the Guzhu Mountain tribute tea culture. Classic itineraries: West Lake and surroundings, 3 days; add 1–2 days for Wuzhen or Xitang; the Fuchun River route of Hangzhou–Tonglu–Qiandao Lake, 2–3 days; a countryside getaway of Moganshan–Anji, 2–3 days. An in-depth trip through Northern Zhejiang is best at 5–7 days. Getting around: Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport has dense flight networks; the Shanghai–Hangzhou, Nanjing–Hangzhou and Hangzhou–Huangshan high-speed lines serve the region, and Shanghai to Hangzhou takes about an hour; for Wuzhen and Xitang, take the high-speed train to Tongxiang or Jiashan and transfer to a bus, while Moganshan and Qiandao Lake are best reached by self-drive or tourist shuttle. Practical notes: West Lake is extremely crowded on holidays, so go early; Wuzhen's West Scenic Area looks superb at night, so consider staying a night; during the plum rain season, watch out for damp and slippery surfaces.

Destinations

Itineraries